Container arranging mechanism



Nov. 15, 1966 Filed June 10, 1965 W. F. ROTH CONTAINER ARRANGING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 12o IV/LL/AM 1 Ron-1 BY digi 1966 w. F. ROTH 3,284,985

CONTAINER ARRANGING MECHANISM Filed June 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A rmewsr Nov. 15, 1966 w. F. ROTH 3,284,985

CONTAINER ARRANGING MEGHANI SM Filed June 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet s //0 I08 0 M46 INVENTOR.

WILL/AM 2? Ram H5 /20 /2o BY m4 //e //a ma H8 //a //2 ,Jiq- 11 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,284,985 CONTAINER ARRANGING MECHANISM William F. Roth, Hanover, Pa., assignor to Chisholm- Ryder Company of Pennsylvania, Hanover, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 10, 1963, Ser. No. 286,600 14 Claims. (Cl. 53-447) This invention pertains to a container arranging mechanism and, more particularly, to such a mechanism for arranging containers having handles thereon into a cluster configuration of such containers in which the handles are disposed in certain predetermined relationship with respect to the center of the cluster.

One particular type of container to which the present invention pertains is a metallic can within which paint is merchandized and particularly the larger capacity sizes of these cans, such as a one gallon size. For many years, paint has been sold in one gallon cans, the cans having bail-type handles thereon pivotally connected at the ends thereof to opposite sides of the can near the .top thereof. When not in use, the handles hang along one side of the can.

For quite a period of time, it has been conventional to package four one gallon cans in a single carton, the cans being arranged so as to somewhat resemble a four leaf clover in plan view. Until recently, such cans, When so packaged, were not provided with handles attached thereto but, rather, four handles were placed loosely in each carton containing four one gallon cans and either the user or retailer was required to mount the handles manually respectively on the cans. This was required primarily because no automatic machinery was ava lable until very recently to place such handles, automatically, in operative position thereon upon such cans.

It now has been found that the placing of such handles upon cans, particularly gallon paint cans having paper labels thereon, presents problems when a group or cluster of such cans, such as four one gallon cans, are placed evenly in a square configuration within such carton unless the handles on each can hang down along the side thereof which is opposite of the cluster. This is due to the fact that If the cans are not placed in the carton with the handles in such outwardly disposed relationship to the center of the cluster of such cans, there is a tendency for the handles on those cans which are not so arranged to rub against the labels on adjacent cans and either blemish or damage such labels. i

It is the principal purpose of the present inventlon to provide container arranging mechanism constructed and adapted to receive cans from a line thereof, all preferably having the handles thereon disposed in trailing relationship with respect to the advancing line of cans or containers, and arranging groups or clusters of a predetermined number of such cans or containers in uniform patterns in which the handles upon the cans are disposed outward or remote from the center of the cluster thereof. When said group or cluster of such cans or containers are so arranged, the mechanism also includes means to deliver said predetermined arrangement or configuration of cans or containers into the open face of a carton in which they are to be enclosed.

Another object of the invention is to provide relatively simple mechanism having a minimum number of elements or sub-units, all preferably fluid actuated, and operated in sequence to effect the desired arrangement or predetermined configuration of a group or cluster of such cans or containers without necessitating any manual operation other than the placing of an open faced carton into position upon the mechanism to receive one of such to and most remote from the center shown in FIG. 4.

3,284,985 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 2 clusters or groups of containers or cans when arranged in the manner described above.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the type described hereinabove which includes a collecting and arranging table mounted for rotation upon a preferably vertical axis and operable to receive, in succession, containers or can from a delivery conveyor, whereby when the leading can upon said conveyor successively is advanced onto the table radially, and the table is rotated stepwise, through a series of segments of a complete revolution, ultimately to dispose a plurality of such containers or can upon said table until a full charge thereof is received upon the table, additional means then are activated to push such prearranged group of cluster of containers or cans into the open face of a carton supported to receive the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide suitable guide means for said group or cluster of containers or cans, so arranged upon said positioning table, to facilitate the operation of the pusher mechanism by which said group or cluster is moved into said carton.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide positioning means upon the collecting and arranging table to limit the movement of the individual containers or cans in a radial direction onto the table from the conveyor means, thereby controlling the shape of the group or cluster of such containers or cans being formed upon said table, said positioning means automatically being removed from engagement with said containers when the pusher mechanism is to be operated to transfer said group or cluster of containers or cans into a carton.

Still another object of the invention is to provide suitable control means for the fluid-powered actuating mechanism for the various elements and sub-units of the entire container arranging mechanism, whereby automatic control and operation of the same is effected.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, comprising a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred construction of container arranging mechanism embodying the principles of the present invention and illustrating a cluster of containers in position to be moved into the open face of a carton arranged to receive the same.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 and, in full lines adjacent the right-hand end, illustrating carton-supporting means in elevated position, while in broken lines, said supporting means is shown in depressed position in which a filled carton is arranged to be received upon a transfer conveyor.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as viewed from the end of the mechanism upon which the carton supporting unit is positioned.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, on a larger scale than utilized in FIGS. 1 through 3 and illustrating the stop and feeding pusher means located adjacent the delivery end of the feeding conveyor means for controlling the delivery of individual containers from the leading end of the conveyor means onto the collecting table, as viewed on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanism FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the collecting and arranging table, including the drive mechanism therefor, and showing the container positioning means thereon.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 6 as viewed on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional vertical elevation of the mechpower units is controlled.

FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively are fragmentary sectional views of two different types of cam elements employed in the valve actuating mechanism shown in FIG. 11.

Ref rring to the drawings and and 2, an exemplary row of containers 10 are shown at path defined by the conveyor means 12. As used herein, the term container interferring relationship with adjacent containers or the carton to enclose the same. Hence, it is contemplated, by way of further example, that plastic or glass containers having handles protruding beyond the outline of the carton being shown in brokenis to be understood that the con ainers for a cluster thereof is not to be regarded a collecting and arranging means which, the principles of the invention, comprises a turntable 20 which, preferably, is substantially horizontal, plate-like, and supported for rotation by a central spindle 22, details of which are best shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7. The spindle 22 is supported by a frame 24, between a pair of spaced bearings 26.

Particularly for purposes of insuringthe desired positioning of a plurality of containers 10 upon the collecting and arranging table so as to form a cluster of desired preferably are movable vertically between the upper, extended position thereof shown in Fixed to shaft 48 is a worm 50 which meshes with worm gear 52, as shown in FIG. 6, said worm gear being fixed to spindle 22. Shaft 48 also is supported by suitable bearings shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Cylinder 40 preferably is double acting and, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter with respect to FIG. 11, wherein said cylinder is shown diagrammatically, the piston of said cylinder is driven positively in opposite directions, the table 20 being driven intermittently and sequentially in a single direction as the piston of unit 40 is actuated successively in one direction, whereas the over-riding or one-way clutch 46 permits a reversing movement of the piston of unit 40 while table 20 remains stationary. The worm and worm gear drive of said table insures such stationary condition of the table during such reversing movement of the piston of unit 40.

Container feeding and control The feed of containers 10, preferably one at a time, from the conveyor means 12 onto the arranging and positioning table 20 is effected under closely controlled conditions by mechanism best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Assuming, for example, that the filling and capping mechanism, or possibly the labeling unit discharges cans in a continuous row onto conveyor means 12, preferably by some type of positive feed, the engagement of one container with another will serve to move a row of such containers along the roller-type, stationary frame conveyor means 12, but, under such conditions, it is possible to momentarily halt the advance of such row of containers, without adversely affecting the mechanism in any way, especially for purposes of performing the following operation incident to loading the table 20 with a group or cluster of a predetermined number of containers arranged in a desired pattern for subsequent transfer to a carton therefor.

Utilizing the fact that the handles 18 of the containers 18 hang against the trailing sidewall surface of the containers as the row thereof advances in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the leading or forwardmost container 10 in the row thereof at the delivery end of container means 12 is moved radially and slidably onto table 20 while the next succeeding container is held against movement onto table 20, at least momentarily, and for a brief additional period of time sufficient to permit the drive cylinder unit 40 to rotate table 20 for a required segment of a single revolution so as to present a space upon said table which is to receive the next succeeding container. To accomplish this, appropriate stop and pusher means are provided with respect to the delivery end of conveyor means 12, which now will be described.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that a rocking plate 54 is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 56 intermediately of the side plates 14 of conveyor means 12 and, preferably, within a space 58 provided between the inner ends of relatively short, cantilever type conveyor rolls 60 which are rotatable about relatively fixed axes. There are parallel rows of said short conveyor rolls 60 respectively adjacent and supported by the opposite side frame plates 14 at the delivery end of conveyor means 12.

Plate 54 is provided respectively adjacent opposite ends thereof with pairs of transversely spaced, fore and aft stop pins 62 and 64. The rocking movement of plate 54 is performed and controlled by a fluid-actuated cylinder and piston unit 66 which is of the double-acting type as is illustrated on the fluid circuit diagram shown in FIG. 11.

With reference to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the fore stop pins 62 are elevated so as to engage the rim of the bottom of the leading container shown in full lines in the exemplary row thereof upon conveyor means 12. While the table 20 is stationary, putsher head 68, which is slidably guided upon a pair of horizontal bars 70, supported upon suitable brackets 72 fixed to frame 24, pushes the leading container onto said table and, in FIG.

4, head 68 has just completed the pushing stroke to place the fragmentarily illustrated container 10, shown at the left-hand end of FIG. 4, onto table 20 by means of trip dogs 74 on pusher head 68. The farthest advancing position of dogs 74 is shown in broken lines in FIG. 4 adjacent table 20.

While the fore stop pins 62 hold the leading container 10 on the delivery end of conveyor means 12 against advancing movement, the pushed head 68 will be moved by the piston of another, double-acting piston and cylinder unit 76 of the fluid-actuated type from the forward limit of its advance movement, toward the right as viewed in FIG. 4, to the retracted or starting position of the pusher head 68 shown in full lines in FIG. 4. Dogs 74 are pivotally connected to the forward end of pusher head 68 and are normally spring-pressed upwardly into the positions thereof shown in FIG. 4 but, during the retreating movement of pusher head 68 as described above, the rearward ends of dogs 74 are provided with a cam surface to enable the same to be depressed below the level of the containers 10 as the head 68 moves in retracting direction to its initial feeding position shown in full lines in FIG. 4.

From the full line position of head 68 and dogs 74 shown in FIG. 4, wherein said dogs engage the trailing edge portion of the bottom rim of the intermediate container 10, actuation of pusher head 68 by cylinder unit 76 which will not be initiated in feeding direction until cylinder unit 66 has reversed the position of rocking plate 54 to the dotted line arrangement thereof shown in FIG. 4, wherein aft stop pins 64 will be elevated to operative position and the fore stop pins 62 have been retracted to inoperative position so as to permit the intermediate container 10, of those shown in FIG. 4, to be moved forwardly onto turntable 20.

When the aft stop pins 64 are elevated so as to engage the right-handmost container 10 shown in FIG. 4, it will prevent further movement of said container in feeding direction, while, due to the retraction of fore stop pins 62, the pusher head 68 now may be moved by cylinder unit 76, in feeding direction, to move the middle container 10 shown in FIG. 4 onto the table 20 by engagement of dogs 74 with the trailing end thereof. It will will be seen that the head 68 is channel-shaped and the side flanges thereof, which pivotally support the dogs 74 straddle the sides of rocking plate 54 so as to clear the same during the advancing movement of the dogs 74.

At the completion of the feeding movement of head 68 and dogs 74, the same are retracted by cylinder unit 76 incident to the rocking plate 54 being reversed in position by cylinder unit 66 to dispose the same in the full line position thereof shown in FIG. 4, whereupon the previously halted right-handrnost container 10, of those illustrated as representative of the line thereof upon conveyor means 12, may advance into engagement with the fore stop pins 62, at which time the pusher head 68 and dogs 74 will be restored to the full line position thereof shown in FIG. 4 so as to be arranged for the next pushing stroke after rocking plate 54 again has been moved by cylinder unit 66 to the broken line position thereof shown in FIG. 4.

The pusher head 68 will be adjusted to move each container 10, successively, from the delivery end of conveyor means 12, radially, onto table 20 until each container engages the suitably positioned pair of positioning lugs 28 which are best shown in FIG. 1. Following the delivery of a container onto table 20, and while the pusher mechanism is retreating to the starting position thereof shown in FIG. 4 in full lines, table 20 is rotated through a segment of a complete revolution thereof, i.e., onequarter of a revolution container arrangement or cluster shown in FIG. 1, so as to dispose a clear segment of the table in position to receive the next container advanced from the conveyor means.

for the specific embodiment of This procedure is repeated until a full'complement of containers are arranged, in clustered configuration upon table 20. When this occurs, the control mechanism, to be described in detail hereinafter is so arranged as to provide a dwell in the cycle which holds the fore stop pins 62 elevated for a brief period suflicient to enable the cluster of containers to be moved into the open face of carton 78 which is supported substantially horizontally by letdown arm unit 80, the latter being pivotally supported adjacent the delivery end of the container arranging mechanism.

Movement and positioning of the unit 80 between the carton loading position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 and the let-down or discharge position thereof shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 is effected by still another fluidactuated piston and cylinder unit 82, preferably of the double-acting type. When unit 80' is in the lowered, dotted line position shown in FIG. 2, a carton 78 is positioned manually with one face thereof open, preferably an end face, and the closing flaps 84 for said face at least partially in open position, against suitable spreading fins 86, see FIG. 10, which, conveniently, may be carried by curved guide rails 88 which are best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10, so as to spread said flaps to fully open position.

Container transfer mechanism Initiation of the discharging operation of the container arranging mechanism comprising the present invention occurs by such aforementioned manual placement of a carton 78, by an operator, against the spreading fins 86 at the delivery end of the mechanism. When said carton is disposed in the horizontal full line positions thereof shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 against such fins, one of the flaps 84 on said open face of the carton, such as the lowermost flaps shown in FIG. 2, engages an operating lever on a'fluid control pilot valve 90 or the operating lever, for example, of an electrical relay controlling the operation of a fluid control valve. This will cause fluid unit 82 to elevate arm unit 80 to the full line position shown in FIG. 2. When so elevated, a part of arm unit 80 engages the actuating member of valve 91, see FIG. 2, which functions to initiate the following operations.

Assuming that the cycle of operation of the entire mechanism is such that, by this time, a full complement of containers comprising a desired cluster thereof has been delivered to and arranged upon table 20, the actuation of fluid control valve 91 by arm unit 80 will cause double acting, fluid actuated piston and cylinder units 92 and 94 to be operated to move pathway-defining guide plates 96 toward each other, past the guide rails 88, and substantially into engagement with the walls of the cluster of containers 10 formed on table 20, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Incident to such aforementioned activation of the fluid operated units 92 and 94, an additional fluid-actuated, double-acting piston and cylinder unit 98 operates delivery pusher plate 100 to engage said arranged group or cluster of containers 10 for movement of the entire cluster into the carton 78. Prior to such pushing movement of the cluster by plate 100 however, units 30 which control the operation of positioning lugs 28 on plate are moved in directions to retract said lugs 28 so as not to obstruct such delivery or transfer of the cluster of containers 10 into the carton 78. As is readily seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the cylinder unit 98 is sufficiently long to permit the movement of plate 100 entirely across the full width of table 20 and to dispose the cluster of containers 10 fully into carton 78.

Upon the completion of the delivery stroke of pusher plate 100, an actuating member 102 thereon is positioned to engage a fluid control pilot valve 104 carried, for

example, by one of the supporting means for spreading fins 86, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thereby causing fluid unit 82 to operate in a direction to permit the let-down arm unit to assume the lower position thereof, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. This will dispose the loaded carton 78 in position to be received upon discharge conveyor arranged to carry the loaded cartons successively away from the container arranging mechanism.

After the fluid unit 82 has been activated to effect such lowering of the carton 78, the fluid unit 98 then operates in reverse direction to retract the pusher plate 100 to the starting position thereof shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The fluid units 92 and 94 likewise are simultaneously activated in reverse direction to retract the guide plates 96 to the inoperative position thereof shown in FIG. -1. During the time such operations are occurring, the fluid units 30 also are operatedto restore the positioning lugs 28 to elevated position with respect to collecting and arranging table 20, whereupon the above described procedures are resumed by which the table 20 again is loaded with a complete complement of containers comprising the desired cluster formation thereof in which the individual containers respectively are positioned so that the handles 18 thereon are disposed along one of the sides of the containers, which is radially outermost from the center of the cluster as well as the center of the table 20, as clearly shown particularly in FIG. 1.

Fluid circuit and control Referring particularly to FIG. 11, wherein the fluid diagram is shown, there is schematically illustrated an exemplary master fluid control means of suitable conventional type. In the specific illustration shown in FIG. 11, said master control means is shown as comprising a cam shaft 106 driven by appropriate means such as an electric motor 108 of required speed and interconnected to the cam shaft 106 by means of a single revolution clutch 110. To initiate action of the entire mechanism, a manually operable electric switch 111 is closed to start electric motor 108 and air valve 112 thus is operated to connect an air inlet conduit 114 to a single acting fluidoperated cylinder unit 116 which trips the clutch and initiates a single operation of drive shaft 106.

Air conduit 114, as also shown in FIG. 11, has a branch extending to a valve 115, operation of which is controlled by pilot valve 1040 having a reciprocable actuating member engaged by a section of the frame of conveyor 14 which, as shown in FIG. 4, is arranged to have two short sections pivotally connected by pivot means 117 to permit limited movement downward due to the weight of containers 10 when moving thereover, against the action of exemplary spring 119 supported by a part of the frame of the machine, As long as valve is open, air under pressure will be available to valve 121 which is operable to control air cylinder 116 in a manner to be described. The air supply conduit 114 also is diagrammatically shown as a single line in FIG. 11 that is connected by suitable lateral branches to various 4-way and 3-way valves connected between the supply line and opposite ends of the various cylinders of the fluid-operated units. Valve operating members are actuated by a series of 4-point cams 118 and 3-point cams on cam shaft 106, respectively shown in profile in FIGS. 12 and 13. The various valve operating members 122 also are shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13.

As the drive shaft 106 revolves during its single operation, unit 66 is caused to reciprocate four times successively in opposite directions, thereby releasing, in succession, four of the containers 10 from the conveyor means 12. In timed relationship with such release of the containers, pusher head 68 is reciprocated by fluid unit 76 four times successively in forward and reverse directions so as to feed said containers successively onto the tum- .table 20 and thereby fully load the same with the exemplary cluster of four containers. Meanwhile, the turntable 20 is successively rotated for segments of a complete revolution three times by the fluid unit 40 which reciprocates in opposite directions successively to drive the table during said segments of revolutions and then reverse the movement of the rack 42 by means of the overrunning clutch 46 while the table is stationary, thereby completely loading the table 20 with a complete complement or charge of a desired configuration or cluster of containers.

After the turntable 20 has thus been completely charged with containers, the single revolution clutch 110 disconnects motor 108 from the drive shaft 106. Meanwhile however, the open end of a carton 78 has been placed in operative relation with the spreading fins 86 and thereby engages pilot valve 90 which actuates fluid unit 82 in a direction to elevate let-down arm unit 80 to hold the carton while the transfer mechanism functions.

When the let-down arm 80 is elevated to the full line position thereof shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the supporting arm thereof engages the actuating member of pilot valve 91. A three-way valve 126, shown in FIG. 11, is in series with valve 91 and is placed in operative position by means of a cam 128 driven by cam shaft 106, but only at the completion of the singe revolution thereof, which then causes all of the fluid units 92, 94 and 98 to operate respectively to bring the guide plates 96 into operative position adjacent opposite sides of the cluster on table 20, While the pusher plate 100 is moved in cluster-transferring or pushing direction by fluid unit 98. If a carton engages pilot valve 90 before table 20 is fully loaded, the let-down arm 80 will be elevated to support the carton but cam 128 has to complete its cycle and operate valve 126 before plunger 98 can operate. Simultaneously wtih actuation of units 92, 94 and 98, the plurality of fluid units 30 which operate the positioning lugs 28 on table 20 are moved in a direction to retract said lugs just prior to the pusher plate 100 engaging the cluster of containers 10.

As the pusher plate 100 completes its transferring movement to completely push the entire cluster of prepositioned containers into the carton 78, preferably through an open end thereof, actuating member 102 on pusher plate 100 engages fluid control pilot valve 104 which activates fluid unit 82 in a direction to cause the let-down arm unit 80 to be lowered, with a loaded carton or case thereon, onto discharge conveyor 105 which carries said carton away from the mechanism.

When the actuating member 102 is moved toward the car-ton, it also engages additional pilot valves 104a and 104b, respectively to shift the 4-way valve controlling cylinders 92, 94 and 98 to retract the guide plates 96 and pusher plate 100, and actuate the 4-way valve controlling cylinder 82 so as to cause it to lower the let-down arm 80. These operations are caused to occur slightly before pilot valve 104 is actuated.

When pilot valve 104 also is actuated, it opens valve 121 to cause fluid to operate cylinder 116 and engage clutch 110, thereby initiating another revolution of shaft 106, which operates the stop and pusher mechanism that controls movement of the containers on conveyor means 12, as well as the drive means for turntable 20 which is operated as aforesaid until another complete charge of containers is disposed thereon in preparation for charging of the same into the open end of another carton, thereby automatically repeating the cycle as long as containers continue to move along conveyor and actuate pilot valve 104a.

As an alternative arrangement concerning the positioning of pins 28 relative to table within the spirit of the invention, it is contemplated that the table 20 may be raised and lowered relative to pins 28 which are stationarily mounted relative to spindle 22, for example, for purposes of clearing the top of table 20 of obstructions to enable pusher plate 100 to move a charge of containers from the table 20 into a carton. Fluid operated means similar to the cylinder 30, for example, could be utilized, by using bracket arms, not shown, fixed to spindle 22 and extending upward to support pins 28 and fixed pistons, While cylinders 30, when fixed to table 20, could be used to move the table upward and downward.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Mechanism to arrange a group of containers in a predetermined relationship for feeding the same to an open face of a carton, said mechanism comprising conveyor means to move containers having bail-type handles hanging along one side thereof successively along a path, container collecting and arranging means mounted for rotation and operable to receive containers from said conveyor and arrange sequentially a predetermined number of successive containers in a cluster with the hanging handles thereon extending along one side of each container in a direction out of contact with adjacent containers in said cluster, and separate transfer means operable to engage said arranged cluster of containers and move the same from said collecting and arranging means into an open face of a carton to dispose the cluster within said carton in said arranged condition and thereby prevent the handle on any container from contacting an adjacent container while stored or transported in said carton.

2. The container arranging mechanism set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said collecting and arranging means comprising a table mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, and said mechanism also including means engageable with said table and operable to drive the same intermittently for similar fractions of a revolution about the axis thereof.

3. Mechanism to arrange a group of containers in a predetermined relationship for feeding the same to an open face of a carton, said mechanism comprising conveyor means to move containers having handles extending along the trailing side thereof successively along a path, a rotatable collecting table operable to receive containers in sequence from said conveyor means, means to drive said table sequentially about its axis for fractions of a revolution to receive a cluster of said containers thereon with the handles thereon extending in directions out of contact with other containers in the cluster, and transfer means operable to engage said arranged cluster of containers and move the same from said collecting table into an open face of a car-ton to dispose the cluster within said carton in said arranged condition and thereby prevent the handle on any container from contacting an adjacent container while stored or transported in said carton.

4. The container arranging mechanism set forth in claim 3 further including positioning means carried by said table and operable uniformly to limit the extent to which each container is moved onto said table, thereby to control the shape of the cluster of containers.

5. The container arranging mechanism set forth in claim 3 further including positioning means movably positioned upon said table and projecting upwardly therefrom, said positioning means being arranged upon said table so as to be engaged by containers and similarly restrict the movement of successive containers onto said table and thereby determine the pattern of the cluster of containers formed thereon, and means interconnected to said positioning means and operable to retract the same to disengage said cluster of containers and thereby condition said table to permit the transfer means to move said cluster of containers from said table into a carton.

6. Mechanism to arrange a group of containers in a predetermined relationship for feeding the same to an open face of a carton, said mechanism comprising con- 1 1 veyor means to move containers having handles extending along the trailing side thereof successively along a path, a rotatable table operable to receive containers in sequence from said conveyor means, means to drive said table sequentially about its axis for fractions of a revothereby prevent the handle on any container from contacting an adjacent container While stored or transported in said carton.

7. The container arranging mechanism set forth in claim 6 further characterized 'by said stop means being positioned relative to the delivery end of said conveyor claim 8 further including engagealble b-y containers move clusters of containers from said table into a carton positioned to receive the same.

10. The container arranging mechanism set forth in claim 9 further including drive means interconnected to said table and operable to drive the same sequentially References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1931 Hendry 53252 X 10/1952 Bowes 53-249 X 3,100,039 8/1963 Oderman et a1 19833.2 3,136,105 6/1964 Eckhofi" 53247 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner. P. H. POHL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MECHANISM TO ARRANGE A GROUP OF CONTAINERS IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP FOR FEEDING THE SAME TO AN OPEN FACE OF A CARTON, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING CONVEYOR MEANS TO MOVE CONTAINERS HAVING BAIL-TYPE HANDLES HANGING ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF SUCCESSIVELY ALONG A PATH, CONTAINER COLLECTING AND ARRANGING MEANS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION AND OPERABLE TO RECEIVE CONTAINERS FROM SAID CONVEYOR AND ARRANGE SEQUENTIALLY A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF SUCCESSIVE CONTAINERS IN A CLUSTER WITH THE HANGING HANDLES THEREON EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE OF EACH CONTAINER IN A DIRECTION OUT OF CONTACT WITH ADJACENT CONTAINERS IN SAID CLUSTER, AND SEPARATE TRANSFER MEANS OPERABLE TO ENGAGE SAID ARRANGED CLUSTER OF CONTAINERS AND MOVE TO SAME FROM SAID COLLECTING AND ARRANGING MEANS INTO AN OPEN FACE OF A CARTON TO DISPOSE THE CLUSTER WITHIN SAID CARTON IN SAID ARRANGED CONDITION AND THEREBY PREVENT THE HANDLE AN ANY CONTAINER FROM CONTACTING AN ADJACENT CONTAINER WHILE STORED OR TRANSPORTED IN SAID CARTON. 